Comfortable Alpaca Sweaters

Indigenous Bolivian craftsman translate grecasrepeating geometric patternsfrom the traditional garments of the Tarabuco region in this 3/4-zip pullover. The design is an interpretation of barroco mestizo style, in which indigenous and Spanish cultures have struck an aesthetic balance. This lightweight and cozy 100% alpaca sweater is handknit by artisans in Bolivia.

In the Bolivian Andes, talented artisans spin alpaca fiber into a soft and durable yarn, and through their weaving, translate their traditional ancient patterns into contemporary style. The bright earth tones and patterns of this particularly soft and breathable three-season sweater are adapted from a 3,000-year-old fabric. Entirely handmade in Bolivia of pure alpaca wool.

In Arequipa, Peru, the Casa del Moral, which houses an art collection and library, draws visitors with its architecture that combines Inca and Spanish colonial influences. Its name comes from the mulberry tree that stands in the courtyard. Artisans in Arequipa adapt some of Casa del Moral’s architectural details into this jacquard-knit baby alpaca sweater in shades of sky blue, smoky gray, and marigold.

Eighteenth-century churches dot the region of Chiquitos in Bolivia's eastern rain savanna, and motifs found on furniture and paintings at San Jose de Chiquitos were the inspiration for this superfine alpaca sweater. The blend of 15 colors is reminiscent of local stained glass and wrought ironwork.

The Guaraní people are an indigenous cultural group who live in Paraguay and parts of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Before European contact, the seminomadic culture didn’t have a written language. The pattern on this lightweight alpaca cardigan is taken from a pictogram for water found on textiles in the Guaraní Museum of Bolivia. The 3/4-sleeve design features a hand-crocheted border and resin buttons.

In the Andean Altiplano of Peru, artisans have been knitting with soft, lightweight alpaca fiber for centuries. Aymara and Quechua artisans in Peru use an alpaca blend to create a dark brown cardigan with a blue and turquoise pattern of asters flowing from the hem and sleeves. A single bloom graces the back of the sweater. Made entirely on hand looms, the sweater is embellished with hand-knit scalloping at the cuffs and hem, and hand-painted ceramic buttons. Light, soft, easily packable, and wrinkle resistant.

In the Bolivian high plains, amid the snowcapped Andes, the pre-Inca Tiwanaku culture thrived for more than 500 years. So far only a fraction of the civilization's ruins have been excavated, yet it has yielded some of the earliest and more remarkably well-preserved textiles found in the Americas. Their art features highly abstracted figures, that originally expressed real places, animals, or cultural events but over time became icons with symbolic meaning. The high degree of abstraction in the art of Tiwanaku has inspired several art historians to compare their art to modern abstract movements, including Cubism. The intricate, interlocked geometric patterns on this alpaca fiber sweater are adapted from woven Tiwanaku tunics made around 500 A.D.

High in the Peruvian Altiplano, people have been using soft, durable alpaca fiber to make warm yet lightweight garments for centuries. Today international markets are being developed for this indigenous craft, which helps sustain artisans in their communities. Aymara and Quechua artisans in Peru use an alpaca blend to create this vivid garment that drapes like silk. Made entirely by hand, it is embellished with hand-knit scalloping at the cuffs and hem, and hand-painted ceramic buttons. Light, soft, easily packable, and wrinkle resistant. Handmade in Peru.

Indigenous Aymara and Quechua people have raised alpacas for centuries in the high-altitude, windswept Peruvian plains. Its extreme warmth, light weight, and natural resistance to water make alpaca wool an ideal fabric for the frigid winters of the Andean Altiplano. This turquoise-hued cardigan is made by Aymara and Quechua women working in Peru, and features bands of traditional Peruvian textile patterns. With a soft drape and hidden zipper, it combines the travel-friendly qualities of alpaca with a flattering cut.

This geometric sweater is a fine example of the 3,500-year-old alpaca wool tradition of the Andes. In La Paz, Aymara artisans work with patterns that have belonged to their culture for millennia. More than 20 shades of superfine alpaca wool blend in a generously sized, cool-weather highland pullover handmade from the most insulating natural material on Earth.

The Museo Amano in Lima, Peru, is home to lovely textiles by the pre-Columbian Chancay culture. A 3,000-year-old woven-gauze Chancay head cloth was the inspiration for this supersoft 100% baby alpaca cardigan. The delicate lacy knit features slightly flared sleeves and mother-of-pearl buttons. Hip length.

High in the Peruvian Altiplano, people have been using soft, durable alpaca fiber to make warm yet lightweight garments for centuries. Today, international markets are being developed for this indigenous craft, which helps sustain artisans in their communities. Aymara and Quechua artisans in Peru use an alpaca blend to create this vivid garment that drapes like silk. Made entirely by hand, it is embellished with hand-knit scalloping at the cuffs and hem, and hand-painted ceramic buttons. Light, soft, easily packable, and wrinkle resistant. Handmade in Peru.

Our toreador-inspired flyaway cardigan is knit in La Paz, Bolivia, using 100% Alpaca fiber, a material that has been part of Andean textile traditions for thousands of years. With embroidered appliqués and leather buttons at the neck, this sophisticated red-and-black cardigan showcases indigenous Bolivian craftsmanship as well as the country's colonial Spanish influence. Perfect for holiday gatherings, with two removable black tassels at the neck.

For thousands of years, Peruvian weavers have produced elaborate garments piece by piece on narrow looms. Rather than hiding the seams, the weavers often enhanced the garments with decorative stitches. Once a necessity, these stitches now become distinctive accents that give this red baby alpaca-blend cardigan a hand-embellished touch.

This symmetrical floral pattern is inspired by garments worn by the women of the Ayoreo tribe in Bolivia's Amazon basin. Honoring their textile traditions, only the natural and dark alpaca colors in this pattern are knitthe blue highlights are hand-embroidered after the garment is shaped. Full zip front.